John F. Gaffney

For other people named John Gaffney, see John Gaffney (disambiguation).

John F. Gaffney (March 23, 1934 – August 27, 1995) was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represented the 2nd Legislative District from 1992 until his death. He had previously served as a city council member and mayor, as well as in the county legislature.

John F. Gaffney
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 2nd district
In office January 14, 1992 – August 27, 1995 Serving with Frederick P. Nickles and Tom Foley
Preceded by	Dolores G. Cooper and Fred Scerni
Succeeded by	Francis J. Blee
Personal details
Born	(1934-03-23)March 23, 1934 Atlantic City, New Jersey
Died	August 27, 1995(1995-08-27) (aged 61) Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Carol Crane ​ (m. 1986)​
Children	6

Early life

He was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey on March 23, 1934.^[1]

Career

From 1974 to 1976, Gaffney served on the Linwood, New Jersey City Council and was elected to serve as the city's mayor from 1976 to 1980. He was a member of the Atlantic County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders from 1979 to 1992. He had been president of both the Atlantic County Mayors Association and the South Jersey Freeholders Association.^[2] As Freeholder Director in 1989, Gaffney supported a ballot initiative that would allow voters to reduce insurance premiums, which have been among the highest in the nation, through the elimination of an annual $150 fee assessed on each vehicle that goes toward funding coverage for high-risk drivers.^[3]

New Jersey General Assembly

Darryl F. Todd had won the June 1991 primary as one of the two Republican Assembly challengers in the 2nd District, covering portions of Atlantic County.^[4] Todd begged off, citing the impact of a legislative career on his legal practice, and a special meeting of the Republican county committee was held on August 18, at which Gaffney was chosen to fill Todd's vacated ballot slot.^[5] With incumbent Republican Dolores G. Cooper having chosen not to run for re-election, Gaffney ran together in the 1991 general election with fellow newcomer Egg Harbor Township Schools superintendent Frederick P. Nickles against one-term incumbent Democrat Fred Scerni and his running mate, Atlantic County freeholder Tom Foley; Gaffney and Nickles ran on a platform opposing income tax hikes, pushing for a one-percent reduction in the 7% state sales tax rate and targeting school funding to Abbott districts.^[6] Gaffney and Nickles were both elected in the strong backlash against Governor James Florio's income tax hikes,^[7] with the one seat gained in the 2nd District helping shift the Assembly from a 44–36 margin in favor of the Democrats in the 1990–1991 session to a 58–22 margin for the Republicans at the start of the 1992–1993 legislative session.^[8]

As chairman of the Tourism and Gaming Committee in the Assembly, Gaffney was an advocate for legislation that was signed into law which allowed the New Jersey Casino Control Commission to expand the number of games and slot machines at casinos, as well as to allow for the expansion of gambling around the clock.^[9] The Atlantic City Convention Center was constructed using funds from the Economic Recovery Fund that Gaffney helped create.^[2]

In 1993, Gaffney cosponsored legislation that allowed deer hunters to donate venison to charities for the needy after being processed by butchers; Gaffney's bill, signed into law in 1993 by Governor Florio, included controls that would provide for state inspection and ensure that meat could be tracked back to the hunter in case of any health issues.^[10]

In October 1994, Gaffney proposed an amendment to a bill governing gambling in Atlantic City that would expand the limit of casino licenses owned by one operator from three to four, a proposal that would benefit Donald Trump; then-mayor of Atlantic City Jim Whelan argued against the proposal, citing Trump's "record of attempting to limit competition from other casinos in Atlantic City", and the fact that all three of his casino properties had been through bankruptcy filings within the previous four years.^[11]

He was succeeded by Francis J. Blee, a city council member in Absecon who was selected as his replacement by the Republican county committee and sworn into office on September 18, 1995.^[12] Blee went on to win election in November 1995 to serve a full two-year term and the balance of Gaffney's term.^[13]

Personal life

A resident of Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, Gaffney died at the age of 61 of an apparent heart attack at his home there on August 28, 1995. He was survived by his wife, Carol Crane, and his six daughters; a previous marriage ended in divorce.^[9]

References

1. Staff. Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey: 1993 Edition, p. 231. Accessed September 6, 2016. "Assemblyman Gaffney was born March 23, 1934, in Atlantic City. He married the former Carol Crane in 1986."
2. Tubbs, Sharon. "Assemblyman John F. Gaffney, Gop 'Fighter' For Atlantic County", The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 28, 1995. Accessed September 6, 2016.
3. Staff. "DRIVE LAUNCHED TO PUT RATE-CUTTING MEASURE ON NEW JERSEY BALLOTS", The Journal of Commerce, April 25, 1989. Accessed September 6, 2016. "A drive to put a lower auto insurance rate proposal before New Jersey voters in November is picking up speed and an organizer of the campaign says it will force elected officials to act... The Citizens Auto Revolt has asked each of the 21 county freeholder boards to vote to place the referendum on their ballots... Mr. Angoff said Atlantic County Freeholder Director John Gaffney has also endorsed the proposal."
4. "Official Results for the Offices of State Senate and General Assembly – Primary Election June 4, 1991, New Jersey Department of State Election Division, June 24, 1991. Accessed September 6, 2016.
5. Finn, Peter. "A Gormley Challenger Withdraws From Race", The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 6, 1991. Accessed September 6, 2016. "But, sources said, Cooper had hopes last week that the party would turn to her when one of its candidates for the state Assembly, Darryl F. Todd, withdrew, saying the campaign was taking too much time from his law practice. Cooper, the sources said, was prepared to run for the seat in the Assembly as the party candidate and support Gormley for the Senate. Instead, the party turned to John Gaffney, chairman of the Atlantic County Board of Freeholders, and Cooper, said one Gormley supporter, was 'a woman scorned.'"
6. Heidorn, Rich. "Gop Targets Assembly Freshman", The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 22, 1991. Accessed September 6, 2016. "Republican candidate Fred Nickles, schools superintendent for Egg Harbor Township, said Scerni had exaggerated his role in winning the Route 30 funding... Nickles and running mate John F. Gaffney, executive director of the Mainland Chamber of Commerce, have questioned Scerni's credibility."
7. Staff. "Assembly contests at glance" Asbury Park Press, November 6, 1991. Accessed September 6, 2016.
8. "The Legislature During the Florio Administration", Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. Accessed September 6, 2016. "Two years later, in the 1991 legislative midterm election with new district boundaries having been drawn in response to the 1990 census, the tide swung strongly against the Democrats, ousting record numbers from both chambers. Twenty-two new Republicans entered the Assembly joined by 10 new Republican in the Senate, delivering the Republican party united control of the legislature for the first time in 20 years, and veto-proof super-majorities."
9. Staff. "John F. Gaffney, 61, A Legislator, Is Dead", The New York Times, August 29, 1995. Accessed September 6, 2016. "Assemblyman John F. Gaffney, who sponsored legislation to finance construction of the Atlantic City Convention Center and to streamline casino regulations, died on Sunday at his home in Egg Harbor Township."
10. Staff. "Plan to Give Venison To the Poor Hits a Snag", The New York Times, December 4, 1994. Accessed September 6, 2016. "Finally, Gov. Jim Florio signed a bill in 1993 introduced by Assemblyman John Gaffney, Republican from the 2d District, that would allow venison donations gathered from hunts to be given to the needy, and for the meat to be inspected by the state."
11. Sullivan, Joseph F. "Bills to Lift 3-Casino Limit Clear Panels in Legislature", The New York Times, November 16, 1994. Accessed September 6, 2016. " Mayor James Whelan's protestations that enough is enough fell on deaf ears today as two legislative committees released identical bills that would enable Donald Trump to seek his fourth casino license here... On Oct. 21, Assemblyman John F. Gaffney, Republican of Linwood, proposed the amendment to eliminate the three-casino limit, and it immediately became the focus of the hearing."
12. Urgo, Jacqueline L. "Gaffney's Ex-running Mate Sworn In To Fill Assembly Seat", The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 19, 1995. Accessed September 6, 2016. "Frank Blee, 36, an Absecon City Councilman and chiropractor, was appointed by the Atlantic County Republican Committee to the office after Gaffney, 61, suffered a heart attack and died at his home Aug. 27."
13. Staff. Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey: 2004 Edition, p. 249. Lawyers Diary and Manual, LLC, 2004. ISBN 9781577411871. Accessed September 6, 2016. "Mr. Blee took his seat in the Assembly Sept. 18, 1995, following his selection by Republican County Committee members to fill the vacancy created by the death of Assemblyman John F. Gaffney. Mr. Blee was elected to a full term in November 1995 and re-elected four times."